Cats The Requisite Cat (Kitty) Photo thread

[TraamisVOS]

Got a new lens yesterday, the manual focus Carl Zeiss ZE 50mm f/1.4. So I took it out to take shots of the cats and dog.

The f/1.4 had razor thin focus and I had a bit of difficulty getting used to focusing with it wide open at f/1.4.

Here are some shots I tried to catch when Jadey was expressing her interpretation of feline zen and enjoying the moment. I missed quite a few shots.

And of course this was the shot I got when I finally managed to nail focus.

 

[kyteflyer]

Got a new lens yesterday, the manual focus Carl Zeiss ZE 50mm f/1.4. So I took it out to take shots of the cats and dog.

The f/1.4 had razor thin focus and I had a bit of difficulty getting used to focusing with it wide open at f/1.4.

Here are some shots I tried to catch when Jadey was expressing her interpretation of feline zen and enjoying the moment. I missed quite a few shots.

And of course this was the shot I got when I finally managed to nail focus.

Always the way! Do you do any special processing, James? Just that always the colour is so warm. I love it. Is that Leica natural or James tweaked?

 

[TraamisVOS]

hi Sue, I always take raw shots and post-process them in Lightroom.

The Zeiss lens I bought is the Canon mount ZE version so these photos were taken with my Canon 7D DSLR. The 7D files are quite different from the Leica files though. I personally like the Leica DNG files better but I'm not sure if it's because I've spent so much more time with the Lecia than any other camera.

The photos are warm but quite often the colour temperature slider has nothing to do with it. It's in the split tones.

In this series I set the highlights on a warm tone, around '60' on the slider scale and over-saturated it. Then with the shadow tones I added a touch of blues around '227' to bring the over-saturated warm tones back under control.

And then only after that I might add a tiny touch of warmth via the colour temperature slider, but that's not always necessary. In fact after getting the colour tones just right, I sometimes desaturate it a little to bring everything back down.

I think doing it this way I'm able to imply strong tones without over-saturating it. Of course I still sometimes go a little overboard but that's me. Looking at the photos again, I could probably have brought the warm highlights down a bit more but I think it's ok for a stylised processed look.

Here's a shot where it's all in the split toning and nothing at all from the colour temps or tint. There's a processed look to the photo without being too obvious or saturated:

The photo was taken a few minutes later when the sun came out. Here is what the unprocessed raw looked like:

 

[TraamisVOS]

PS. I really need to get my monitor colour calibrated because I've noticed a properly colour graded photo on my computer sometimes look different on different computers, or after I've uploaded them to Flickr, or when I'm viewing them on different sites like Serious Compact. There's been a few times when I've gone back to re-grade some photos because the colours look a bit off after uploading/viewing elsewhere.

 

[kyteflyer]

Yeah mine too. I have my monitor calibrated as well as I can under the circumstances and without the pleasure of having a Spyder (I've decided I can and will live without it). I see what you did there, you fooled me. I would have sworn it was the Leica. Perhaps, then, its always your processing and I love it.

Now, here's someone who just didn't want to drag himself out this morning. Its a tough life.

Staying in bed by kyte50, on Flickr

Staying in bed2 by kyte50, on Flickr

Mind you, I know exactly how he feels.

 

[Luckypenguin]

OEP5-PB090094-PR Olympus Pen E-P5 Brisbane Australia by Nic (Luckypenguin), on Flickr

 

[Quirck]

My little (big) Leo

Leo by Nicolas_Goulet, on Flickr

 

[TraamisVOS]

I see what you did there, you fooled me. I would have sworn it was the Leica. Perhaps, then, its always your processing and I love it.

Sorry! And thanks.

I think the shallow depth of field has something to do with it too. Not sure why exactly.

 

[greyelm]

Little Elmore.

 

[Richkaz]

Cute kitty pic lovers look away now !

I just stumbled across some of the last snaps that I took before selling my old Contax and going digital.
Around 15 years ago the neighbours across the road bought a very big dog. Their 24 year old moggy wasn't consulted and in disgust
he packed his bags and hit the street refusing to return to his comfy old house ( you know what their like ). He took residence on top of a wheelie bin .
He looked pitiful sitting on that bin shivering in sub zero temperatures so we left our door open for him to come in from the cold.
I really can't think why, but we called him Grandad and he popped in occasionally to say hello, have a bite to eat and complain about the weather.

This was Grandad doing what Grandad did best !











View attachment 80988




On waking , Grandad was clearly not at his best ---------

Grandad sitting patiently waiting for a wash and brush up













View attachment 80990





After a thoroughly good polish and brush up Grandad would pose for the camera ( he never smiled and always hid his characterful brown teeth )

Richard

 

[TraamisVOS]

he packed his bags and hit the street refusing to return to his comfy old house ( you know what their like ). He took residence on top of a wheelie bin .
He looked pitiful sitting on that bin shivering in sub zero temperatures so we left our door open for him to come in from the cold.

Poor thing! Very nice of you to leave your door open.

 

[BBW]

Aw, Malcolm - Little Elmore is incredibly cute!

And Nicolas - Leo is so handsome. Clearly he and Little Elmore have similar tastes in the colors they choose for the photo op backgrounds.:wink_old:

This is a really good inevitable cat thread!

 

[Lili]

Shadow Cat by colette_noir, on Flickr
Sable

 

[TraamisVOS]

That's a cat photo I haven't seen before. Nice!

It almost looks like a hand shadow puppet.

 

[Yeats]

Abigail waking up from her afternoon nap

 

[TraamisVOS]

That photo made me smile for some reason.

 

[Yeats]

She makes me smile every day, James.

 

[Lawrence A.]

She makes me smile every day, James.

Your photos of her have made me smile repeatedly. She's a very perky girl, and pretty.

 

[TheRubySusan]

A quick update on Ben....

Blood test results are negative for pancreatitis, so I'll give him his second B12 injection today (fingers crossed he lets me do it!). He gets one per week for four weeks and then goes to once a month. On Monday he goes in for his first steroid shot. Unfortunately Ben's sensitive tummy can't tolerate oral prednisone. Fingers crossed he can tolerate (and benefit from) the injections. More later. Thanks so much everyone for your kindness.

Fingers crossed, and best of luck to Ben!

 

[Yeats]

Your photos of her have made me smile repeatedly. She's a very perky girl, and pretty.

That's nice to know!

Yeah, she's "perky"... "crazy crackers" might be more like it, sometimes. lol